In accordance with Newton's third law of motion, thrust is generated when a propellant is ignited in a combustion chamber and the resulting combustion gases are passed through a nozzle. For example, a rocket engine, such as a rocket engine associated with a commercial rocket carrying a civilian payload, may include an injector, a combustion chamber, an ignition system and a nozzle. The injector may inject a propellant into the combustion chamber where the propellant may be ignited by the ignition system. The resulting combustion of the propellant may generate high-pressure combustion gases, which may be expelled through the nozzle. The resulting thrust may propel the associated rocket against the forces of drag and gravity.
Various ignition systems have been used to ignite propellants. For example, pyrotechnic-based ignition systems are commonly used to ignite solid propellants, while electrical ignition systems are commonly used to ignite fluid propellants (e.g., liquid propellants, gaseous propellants and/or aerosolized propellants). Ignition of fluid propellants is complicated by the fact that fluid propellants flow through the combustion chamber. As the flow rate of a fluid propellant increases, it often becomes more difficult to achieve a sustained ignition, particularly in the case of a gaseous or aerosolized propellant moving at a flow rate that is greater than the flame speed of the propellant.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of propellant ignition.